Clamps are well-known fastening devices that may be used to hold or secure objects tightly in place by applying inward pressure between two clamping surfaces. But existing clamp designs may not be suitable to adjustably secure a control member (e.g., a loop of wire, string, rope, twine, cord, or the like) used in an artificial tree apparatus to position and secure branches into a stowed position. It may be desirable to connect such a control member to a plurality of branches such that the control member forms a loop that surrounds the trunk of the artificial tree apparatus. It also may be desirable to use a clamping device to transition, and maintain, the plurality of branches in a stowed position (e.g., the branches are substantially parallel to the trunk of the artificial tree) or a deployed position (e.g., the branches are substantially perpendicular to the trunk of the artificial tree). In some embodiments, the control member may form a closed loop and the clamping device may contact the control member in two or more locations along the control member such that a larger loop is formed about the artificial tree apparatus and a smaller loop is formed on the side of the clamping mechanism opposite the artificial tree apparatus. To transition the branches to a stowed position, the smaller loop can be pulled or otherwise adjusted, which may decrease the diameter of the larger loop, forcing the tree branches from a deployed position to a stowed position. This may effect a reduction in the volume of the tree and may provide for easier storage.
In some embodiments, the control member may not be a closed loop (i.e., the control member has two unconnected ends), but the control member may be connected to the plurality of branches such that it may substantially encompass the trunk of artificial tree apparatus, which may form a looped portion of the control member. The size of the looped portion may be adjusted to a stowed position by pulling or otherwise adjusting one or both ends of the control member away from the artificial tree apparatus and cinching the control member with a clamping device to maintain the current, decreased diameter of the loop. The loop may be adjusted to a deployed position by pulling a portion of the loop away from the clamping device and cinching the control member with the clamping device to maintain the increased diameter of the loop.
Current clamp designs may fail to adequate secure a control member to maintain a stowed or deployed position of the control member, and/or current clamp designs may be cumbersome or difficult to use while creating tension or slack in a loop of the control member that may be connected to the plurality of branches. Specifically, it may be difficult to release the clamping pressure or otherwise un-cinch the control member, and it may also be difficult to apply clamping pressure or other cinch the control member. Additionally, it may be difficult to cinch or un-cinch a control member with existing clamping devices while using only a single hand, as it may be necessary to use a second hand to move the control member relative the clamping device. Therefore, there is a need for a system that can adjustably secure a control member that may be used to adjust the size of a control loop. There is also a need for a system that can be easily adjusted between a clamped position and an unclamped position. There is additional need for a system that be easily adjusted between a clamped position and an unclamped position with the use of a single hand.